Power NI, part of Energia Group, joined local councils, site managers, volunteers and community groups at this year’s Green Flag Awards to celebrate a record-breaking 122 Green Flag and Community Green Flag sites across Northern Ireland.
The milestone marks continued growth for the Green Flag Award Programme which, earlier this year, received sponsorship support from Power NI through a partnership with Live Here Love Here (formerly Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful).
Since the partnership was announced, the programme has continued to expand its reach, recognising more parks, heritage sites and community-managed green spaces that meet the highest standards of management, sustainability and community engagement.
As sponsor of the Green Flag Award Programme in Northern Ireland, Power NI was proud to support the awards ceremony at Mossley Mill, where organisations and communities were recognised for their commitment to maintaining safe, welcoming and sustainable green spaces.
The Green Flag Award is an internationally recognised benchmark for the management of parks and public spaces, recognising excellence in environmental management, visitor experience, biodiversity, sustainability and community involvement.
This year’s awards saw a record 122 sites recognised, including eighty-six Green Flag Awards and thirty-six Community Green Flag Awards. Seven sites also received Heritage Awards, while two were recognised with Green Flag NI Pollinator Awards.
Power NI
Power NI’s sponsorship supports the continued growth of the programme, with a particular focus on encouraging and supporting community-led green spaces to achieve Green Flag status.
William Steele, Director of Customer Solutions at Power NI, said: “We are delighted to celebrate a record year for the Green Flag Awards, with 122 sites now recognised across Northern Ireland. These awards highlight the dedication of councils, volunteers and community groups who work tirelessly to create and maintain green spaces that are safe, welcoming and accessible for everyone.
“When we announced our partnership with Live Here Love Here earlier this year, our ambition was to support the continued growth of the programme and encourage more communities to take pride in their local environment.
“It is fantastic to see that momentum reflected in this year’s record number of award-winning sites and the positive impact they have on people’s health, wellbeing and sense of community,” he added.
A key theme of this year’s awards was the importance of ensuring parks and green spaces are safe, accessible and welcoming for everyone, particularly women and girls. The event highlighted the important role that well-managed public spaces play in supporting healthier, more inclusive communities.
The Green Flag Award Programme provides a recognised standard of excellence for parks and green spaces, encouraging continuous improvement through rigorous assessment and annual accreditation. Across Northern Ireland, Green Flag sites range from major public parks and heritage locations to community-managed spaces cared for by local volunteers.
Eric Randall, Live Here Love Here Chief Executive, said: “The Green Flag Awards are about recognising the importance of our parks and green spaces. This year, we focused on how we can make these places more inclusive for all in our community, particularly women and girls.
“We were delighted to host a range of speakers who spoke about this important topic and what we, as a society, can do to ensure that our parks are places where everyone can feel welcome.
“This year we had a record 122 sites picking up awards from across Northern Ireland, demonstrating the reach of the Green Flag Programme. This success is achieved through working closely with our partners, including Power NI.
“By working together, we can broaden this programme’s reach and deepen its impact. I want to congratulate all of those who picked up an award and look forward to working with Power NI into the future to continue the success of the Green Flag programme”
Power NI looks forward to continuing its partnership with Live Here Love Here and supporting the ongoing growth of the Green Flag Award Programme, helping to ensure even more people have access to the high-quality green spaces that make such a positive difference to local communities.
